Theft proof lock for license plates

Abstract

A locking device to prevent the theft or loss of the vehicles license plates, that is easily attachable requiring no special skills or tools to be installed; comprising a novel bracket designed to be attached by bolt through one of the openings provided for that purpose in the license plate into the vehicle embodiment, therefore sandwiching the license plate between said bracket and the vehicle embodiment. Means for locking is a modified slide-in type cylindrical lock that when engaged with said bracket in locked position will prevent the access to said attaching bolt, therefore making impossible the removal of the license plate from the vehicle without the locking device key.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An attachment device including a lock for locking a vehicle license plate, comprising: a bracket having four flat sides which are integrally built in one piece forming a substantially rectangular shape, having a front side with a notched portion along an outer edge for locking when engaged with said lock comprising a casing having a bore therein and a slot extending transversely of and intersecting a portion of said bore whereby only one edge of said slot is disposed on a line extending across said bore, said one edge having a recess therein, said slot being adapted to slidably received said front side of said bracket with the notch thereon adjacent said one edge of the slot and therefore extending across the bore and said recess, a key plug mounted to rotate in said bore and having an eccentric locking stud projecting in an axial direction from the inner end thereof into said recess whereby said stud is normally out of the path of said notch when the key plug is in unlocked position, said locking stud being movable into engagement with said notch upon rotation of said key plug to locked position to thereby secure the lock to said bracket, locked position means preventing access to said bracket and a license plate attaching bolt, said front side having an opening with a diameter big enough to allow said attaching bolt to pass free throughout said front side and into a second opening located in a back side of said bracket and in center to center alignment with said front side opening but having a smaller diameter to allow only a threaded portion of said attaching bolt to pass through said second opening and stopping said attaching bolt head portion when it comes in contact said back side of said bracket therefore preventing said attaching bolt from passing throughout said back side of said bracket, attaching bolt means for securing said bracket and said license plate to vehicle, a bottom side of said bracket having a narrower width dimension to slidably receive said lock to which a recessed slot in its back cover has been incorporated for engagement with said bottom side of said bracket and stopping said lock in locked position means when said back cover slot recess comes in contact with said bottom side of said bracket stopping said lock blocking access to said attaching bolt securing said attachment device. 
     
     
       2. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for locking is the front side of said bracket having a notched portion along an outer edge adapted to be engaged and disengaged with said lock by a relative sliding movement. 
     
     
       3. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for slidably receive and stop said lock in locked position is the said bottom side of said bracket having a narrower width dimension.